Guwahati, March 11 (IANS) The allocation of funds for railway development in West Bengal has increased more than threefold to Rs 14,205 crore in the 2026-27 fiscal, officials said on Wednesday.
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the average annual railway budget allocation for West Bengal during 2009-14 was around Rs 4,380 crore.
“This unprecedented rise clearly indicates the commitment of the present Central government to take the state’s railway infrastructure to new heights,” he said.
At present, railway projects worth approximately Rs 93,000 crore are under progress in West Bengal. These include construction of new railway lines, station redevelopment, safety upgrades and expansion of railway capacity aimed at improving connectivity across the state.
Sharma said that for decades the pace of railway development in West Bengal remained relatively slow, with several projects incomplete and modernisation not gaining the required momentum.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal has emerged as an important centre of the large-scale transformation taking place in Indian Railways,” he said.
To enhance passenger experience, railway stations in West Bengal are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. A total of 101 stations have been identified for redevelopment at an estimated cost of around Rs 3,600 crore.
So far, redevelopment work at nine stations — Anara, Barabhum, Haldia, Joychandi Pahar Junction, Kalyani Ghosh Para, Kamakhyaguri, Panagarh, Siuri and Tamluk — has been completed. Among these, Joychandi Pahar Junction, Kalyani Ghosh Para and Panagarh have already been inaugurated.
These upgraded stations feature enhanced waiting areas, improved lighting and signage, digital information systems, spacious circulating areas, food courts, parking facilities, separate entry and exit points, lifts and escalators, and improved sanitation facilities.
Modern train services have also expanded significantly in the state. At present, one pair of Vande Bharat Sleeper Express operates from West Bengal, while 18 Vande Bharat Express and 22 Amrit Bharat Express services connect major cities and economic centres.
Since 2014, nearly 1,400 km of new railway tracks have been constructed in the state — more than the entire railway network of the United Arab Emirates. Around 1,712 km of rail routes have been electrified, making the state’s railway network 100 per cent electrified.
To enhance safety and ease of train movement, more than 500 rail flyovers and underpasses have been constructed. The indigenous train protection system ‘Kavach’ has been implemented over 105 route kilometres, while work is underway on another 1,041 km. Approval has been granted for implementation across 3,200 route kilometres.
Redeveloped stations at Kamakhyaguri, Tamluk, Haldia, Barabhum, Anara and Siuri will soon be inaugurated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Additionally, the third railway line between Belda and Dantan and the Automatic Block Signalling project between Kalaikunda and Kanimahuli will be dedicated to the nation.
A new express train service between Purulia and Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi will also be flagged off, providing an important rail link between West Bengal and the national capital.
The official said these initiatives mark a new phase of railway development in the state, expected to accelerate economic growth, trade and social connectivity.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), headquartered at Maligaon near Guwahati, operates across the Northeastern states as well as in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.
–IANS
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